Annual Equality Report 2021 - 2022

Below is an overview of the key findings and next steps:

Race

• People from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds made up 9.6% of the workforce. The size of the BAME group grew by 5% over 2021-22, or an extra 24 people.
• Recruiting managers were 1.3 times as likely to appoint white people from shortlisting as BAME people. The size of this disparity decreased for the third year in a row.
• White staff were 8.2 times as likely to progress from non-clinical manager roles into senior manager roles within the Trust's central functions. Out of 295 staff in such roles, nineteen (6.4%) were from BAME groups. We are addressing this disparity through talent management initiatives.
• BAME staff were 1.25 times as likely to face a formal disciplinary than white staff. We have reviewed the use of formal disciplinary processes to increase informal resolution.

• There is a six-point gap between white and BAME staff reporting harassment, bullying, or abuse from patients, relatives, or the public for the last three years. We will improve the effect of zero tolerance measures against racial abuse from patients.

Religion and belief

• The proportion of staff sharing their beliefs grew by 24%, or an additional 789 people, over the previous five years.
• The belief group that grew the second fastest over the past five years are those from religions other than the world's major religious groups, with an extra 130 people. We will initiate work to better identify and meet their spiritual needs in the workplace.
• Staff sharing non-Abrahamic beliefs or preferring to not disclose, reported more negative experiences on the staff survey than the Trust average. Muslims and staff with no religion reported fewer negative experiences.

Gender

• The workforce was 85% female and 15% male. Excluding doctors and dentists, males were over twice (2.7 times) as likely to progress from management into senior management.
• Nursing and health care assistants had the lowest satisfaction (60%) of any occupational group for opportunities for flexible working patterns. We will review staff feedback to improve access to this.
• 23% of female staff said they had experienced harassment, bullying or abuse from patients, relatives, or members of the public compared to 15% of male staff. We will improve our violence reduction measures to protect and support women.

Sexual orientation

• Just under 4% of the workforce shared with us that they identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB). According to the Office of National Statistics, an estimated 3.1% of the UK population aged 16+ identified as LGB in 2020.
• There has been 53% growth in LGB people sharing their sexual orientation on their staff record over the past five years, an additional 71 people.
• We will run communications and events campaigns to increase LGBT+ awareness.

Disability

• Just over six percent of people in the workforce shared a disability on their staff record compared to just under twenty-five percent of respondents in the anonymous Staff survey. According to Department of Work & Pensions data, 19% of working-age adults in the South East reported having a disability in 20/21.
• Over five years the size of the disabled workforce population, according to staff records, increased by 76% or an additional one hundred and fifty-two people.
• Disability is most under-represented at very senior manager (VSM) level and the medical and dental workforce (2.3%). No board members shared a disability.
• The gap between disabled and non-disabled staff reporting pressure to come to work when unwell has increased in total by five points on the previous year.
• We will address these disparities by working with the Disability and Wellbeing Network (DAWN) to review our employment processes.

Age

• Of all the age groups, the 61 + years' group has grown the most over the past five years at 43%, or the equivalent of 186 more people. All other age groups decreased as a proportion of the overall workforce over that period, although in absolute numbers they all increased through workforce expansion.
• The 16-20-year-old age group scored 7.8 out of 10 for negative experiences in the staff survey; the lowest of any age group - especially in their experiences of harassment, bullying, and abuse from patients, relatives, and members of the public. This score was lower than the Trust score overall (8.1), and the national average and community benchmark for that age group.
• We will improve our violence reduction measures to protect and support staff. This will be informed by staff feedback.

Patient equity

• Through 2021-22 the Trust continued to develop its work to promote equity in service provision and care inclusion for patients, carers and families drawn from a diverse range of populations.

Conclusion

• We continue to take strides to advance equity. The recommended next steps for 2022-23 are to:
  • Provide services with the information they need to improve equity in patient care, identifying and reducing disparities in access, outcomes, and experience. Work collaboratively with patients and communities to ensure services are inclusive and meet the diverse needs of our population.
  • Increase representation of minority groups within senior management roles through further targeted talent management and the strengthening of accountability
  • Improve employment processes where there is evidence of group-level disparities in outcomes, and
  • Renew the Trust's anti-violence objectives in collaboration with staff from the groups in the workforce disproportionately affected.
• The end goal is thriving and culturally competent staff providing inclusive care to promote positive outcomes and to address inequities.